Get pumped for Friday night! Victory House is hosting Springfield, Illinois jammers Our Lady and a bunch of other sweet bands including a (prepare for a nostalgia attack) Blink 182 cover band.

Our Lady: pop punk with folk sensibilities, these guys (and girls!) bring all kinds of fun hooks that you’ll find yourself shouting and singing along to even if you don’t feel like it!

The best buds in George Costanza are bringing their flavor of punk rock, by which I mean pretty guitars mixed with angsty, angry vocals. Not to be missed, for sure. Also I’m pretty sure this is the sexiest band name I have ever heard. Unf.

Blank: grimey, grungey rock ‘n’ roll tunes. These gnarly dudes are prepared to take us back to the 90s, while still keepin’ it real and relevant. Party On, Kalamazoo.

And of course, Milhousers Jarad, Josh, and Jose will be performing as Blink-182, who need no introduction of course. Let’s just hope they dress the part.

Show starts at 9, bring some donation money for the touring act. Those kids have to get home somehow.

This Tuesday, four exceptional songwriters will be singing in the cozy Milhouse living room.  Two are on tour, one is from Detroit, and one is a beloved local.  The show will be starting at 8:30 pm.  Donations will be taken for the traveling bands, so please bring a few dollars to help these good people buy gasoline.

Toby Foster is a songwriter based in Bloomington, IN.  He’s been touring with different projects for for a number of years, including a collaboration with members of Defiance, OH, Nana Grizol, and Pink Houses.  Toby’s songs are personal and heartfelt, possessing the best sonic and philosophical qualities associated with the Plan-it-X records community.  Here’s a video of Toby on the famous pink couch:

The Boy Who Could Fly is Kari Jorgensen from Columbus, OH.  She’s on tour with Toby, singing with an electric guitar.  Both Toby and The Boy Who Could Fly give a hint of their punk rock roots in their contemporary folk sound.  Peter Cook has been quoted as saying, ” I love The Boy Who Could Fly! Brain Cloud was one of the albums I listened to most in 2011! This is great!”   Here’s Kari on the pink couch:

A seasoned Kalamazoo veteran, Jeremy Ruggles has been influential in crafting our music scene over the past several years.  Jeremy has not only played in numerous favorite local bands, but has been performing his own tunes with a wide variety of accompaniment.     This time, he’ll be joined by an acoustic ensemble.  Simply put, Jeremy knows what he’s doing, and he’s really good at it.

If you’re a regular attendee of Michigan folk-punk shows, you’ve probably seen Blair Ellis.  Blair is a major contributor to the new Trumbullplex zine library and an active part of Detroit’s scene.  Blair sings twee-pop with progressive social lyrics. Check it out:

This Sunday’s gonna rage hard.  Make the necessary preparations, because you’re not going to want to miss this one.  Fat Guy House is hosting a sweet show which will include Brooklyn pop punkers Living Room, Chicago Math/Screamo outfit Itto, and our very own progressive post-punkers The Reptilian.

It’s always refreshing to hear such blatant honesty come through in a band’s music. It draws me in and keeps me wanting more. Living Room is one of those bands.  Fans of The Wonder Years, Polar Bear Club, and Title Fight will be interested in checking these guys out.

Itto will bring a good mix of screamo (the good kind, I promise) and math elements to the table. They sound like a good time, and I’m sure they’ll deliver.  If you’re into Circle Takes the Square, City of Caterpillar, or Hot Cross you should come hang out with us and see these guys play.

Lastly, I’ve got the pleasure of talking a bit about our own hardworking dudes in the Reptilian. They’ve been touring relentlessly for the past few years and gaining a lot of attention for their intense live shows.  I am consistently impressed with every new project they come out with. I’m assuming most of you reading this have seen them play but just in case you haven’t, I’d say if you’re interested in Suis La Lune, Daitro, or Saetia you’ll have a fun time with these dudes.

I picked up the 7″ split they have with Innards at the last show I saw them play (it is, of course, stellar) and I assume they’ll be selling it at this show so you should pick it up if you have any extra dollars laying around after paying for all the touring bands’ merch.

Speaking of touring bands, bring a couple bucks for the donation jar. The bands appreciate it because it keeps them playing and fed.  See you there!

Tomorrow night, catch Chicago’s mid-fi DIY’ers New Diet, GR’s lofi folky-pop-punk Radiator Hospital, Kzoo’s own Everyone and their Empty Cups and Blank at the Slaughterhouse.

Show starts at 9 or 10ish, bring a couple bucks for the outta-towners. It’s gonna be a gnarly evening.

http://www.facebook.com/events/169181126518765/

Sometimes (most times) I hate school and I hate my job and I just want to come home, put my feet up, then go to a nice, inviting house show. You know, relax a lil’ and forget my woes and pretend there is no such thing as papers on the Romantic qualities of El Estudiante de Salamanca or long, dry readings on complex linguistic structures. Good thing for pity-parties like me, there are lovely living room shows like the one Wednesday at No Fun House!

So come, get off your tired, aching feet for a while and enjoy the sounds of some of Kalamazoo’s finest along with Bro. Stephen from Bloomington! This will be the stuff of legends, my friends. A great, big, comfy evening in a great, big, comfy living room on a big, dumb, Wednesday night with Glowfriends and Cold Mountain Child keepin’ your feet warm (okay maybe they won’t do that ’cause it’s kind of wierd).

Help me help you help me forget about my weekly grind while I help you forget about yours! Come over! Bring your friends! Bro. Stephen is gonna be great. Glowfriends is gonna be great. Cold Mountain Child is gonna be great. You owe it to yourself, babe.

Wednesday / 8 p.m. / No Fun House / Donations plz k thnx gr8

Helping us this winter to keep the blood flowing and the feets dancin’, this thursday evening we’ll be paid a visit from a veritable institution of ska.  The Toasters, hailing from New York City, are gonna bring their time-tested brand of high energy ska.  Find your dancing shoes and grab hold of a pint of something strong.

Accompanying all that toast will be local outfit The Mushmen

And a heavy dose of Modern Medicine, from Grand Rapids

http://www.facebook.com/getmedicatedmusic?sk=info

18+ Doors at eight, show at nine.  Tickets are $10 adv, $12 atd.

Calling all intellectuals, friends, softies, listeners, and thinkers : Milhouse has something for you. Plan-It-X songsmith Eric Ayotte is coming back to town. His previous visit was last minute, and even then a fair amount of people came to show their support for his project. His music provokes re-thinking your cultural standing, remembering family, and embracing the world around you.

http://www.lastfm.com/music/Eric+Ayotte

Singer-songwriters can easily be over-rated and over-abundant, but Kalamazoo continues to produce those who are intelligent and unique. Both Frank Fuzz and Alex Quinlan, Kzoo residents, will be opening for Eric.

Fuzz Quinlan has gathered experience playing music in several different genres, including : noise rock, ska, punk, folk, and folk punk (which OF COURSE is different from just folk or just punk). His ability to express emotion through a grabbing string melody never ceases to silence a crowd. Mature, well-thought lyrical content allows his songs to be personal yet very relatable. Reflective comment : one of the only Kalamazoo musicians who continues to find new ways to make me cry. In a good way.

http://alexquinlan.bandcamp.com

Frank Fuzz remains another Kalamazoo gem. His unique use of audio-visual interaction continues to please crowds. For those who don’t know, Frank’s performance is accompanied by a movie of himself playing key instrumental and vocal parts of the songs he presents. The footage of past Frank with interaction from present Frank is a new and interesting experience compared to most other Kzoo artists. The (possibly un-intended?) comedy of self-interaction through pre-recorded musicality will stimulate your auditory and visual senses.

http://www.last.fm/music/Frank+Fuzz

Eric isn’t in Michigan on a whim – he’s on his way to Canada – so bring a few bucks to get him there so he can fruitfully continue his journey north. Respect the artists, respect Milhouse, and enjoy!

John Follet of Everyone and Their Empty Cups, Ryan Koster and many other folks have been hard at work on organizing Kalamazoo’s latest music and art related magazine. Entitled Deja Vishnu, the magazine is dedicated to music, art, comedy and creation happening in our fair city. Deja Vishnu aims to cover creative happenings in Grand Rapids as well.

 The magazine makes its debut this Saturday with a free show at The Strutt. There will be performances by Blank (2/3 Pan, ¼ Ackley kid), Everyone and Their Empty Cups, and Invisible Mansion from Grand Rapids. Everything is set to kick off around 9:00.

 Come on down and enjoy some free music. See what all of the buzz is about. The first issue of Deja Vishnu will be available for purchase $6 for black and white and $10 for color!  This is not to be missed!

On this fine, brisk February evening, The Strutt invites you to come celebrate the release of Elk Welcome‘s new CD! It’ll be gas! What else are you going to do tonight? Sit at home and sulk about how you never get out of the house? Well, here’s your chance to change that! New Year, New Elk Welcome tunes, New You!

Also gracing everyone’s presence will be Max Dandyslax and former Good News-ers Lost in Translation!

Tonight, Feb. 10 / The Strutt / 9:30 / 3 bonez (5 with a cd!)

DO IT.

It’s that time of year again. The time that decor magically shifts colours to red and pink and everyone becomes inexplicably infatuated with the idea of love. The time where sending someone an e-mail about how beautiful they are and how you’ve often admired them from afar or mysteriously leaving a sentimental forget-me-not on a person’s mode of transportation outside their workplace becomes a most acceptable and romantic idea.

In accordance with this most adorable sentiment, DiT and the Fireplace Club cordially invite you to the 3rd Annual Love Song Open Mic. In addition to a warm fire to hang out by, a guitar, bass, banjo, various percussive instruments, and a small drum kit will be provided for any attendees to serenade their sweetheart in a most amourous environment.

“We’ve made many special memories by the fire with some of Kalamazoo’s finest. Here is a recording from last year (http://www.mediafire.com/?pzseyn8zy8wkj8e), and the first one in 2010 (http://www.mediafire.com/?z8s4n8crq596dt5).

Really it’s the best way to spend valentine’s day, you don’t have to wallow in loneliness and you don’t have to buy anything.”

See you at the show.
http://www.facebook.com/events/211230125633035/